Our Next Book Club Pick: 37 Seconds

It’s been a while since WMAG hosted a book club. But we have a hot new book in our hands that demands to be discussed—and the author will be joining us live on Oct. 15, so we can ask her all of our burning questions about her riveting true story …

When she was pregnant with her second child, Stephanie Arnold had a sudden and overwhelming premonition that she would die during the delivery. Though she tried to tell the medical team and her family what was going to happen, neither the doctors nor her loved ones gave her warnings credence. Finding no physical indications that anything was wrong, they attributed her foreboding to hormones and anxiety.

One member of the medical team did take her concerns seriously enough, and made the fateful decision to order extra units of blood “just in case.” Then, during the delivery, Stephanie suffered a rare Amniotic Fluid Embolism. She went into cardiac arrest and flat-lined for 37 seconds. She died. Using the supplementary blood, the medical team revived her, and she remained unconscious for more than six days.

After months of recovery, Stephanie began to remember details of her experience, details she knew because she had witnessed the entire dramatic event, including her death, from outside her body—beside other spirits that were with her. In this remarkable true story, Stephanie recounts her harrowing journey and shares her surprising spiritual discoveries: we are not alone and have more loving help than we can imagine surrounding us.

I’ve had the chance to read 37 Seconds, as well as meet Stephanie personally. She’s absolutely lovely, relatable, and a terrific storyteller. A little background on her:

Stephanie Arnold was a producer, creating and directing TV shows, music videos, and documentaries until she met the love of her life, from which point the only thing she wanted to produce was a family. During the birth of her second child, Stephanie suffered a rare and often fatal condition called an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). Everything she does now is a direct result of her survival. Stephanie currently serves on the board of directors for the AFE Foundation, speaks on patient advocacy to organizations like the American Society of Anesthesiologists, and has raised money for Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Prentice Women’s Hospital. Her experiences led her to be named one of Today’s Chicago Woman’s “100 Women of Inspiration.” Stephanie lives in Chicago with her husband Jonathan and is the loving mother of Adina, Jacob, and stepdaughter Valentina.

Let me tell you, her story flies by. I read it on an airplane and in my hotel that night before attending a weekend conference in Chicago. When I finished 37 Seconds, I felt almost overwhelmed with emotion (a personal account of dying in childbirth hits home if you’ve birthed a couple of babies yourself).

I also was left with many questions swirling around my head. What really happens when we die? And how has Stephanie’s recounting of her experience affected my beliefs? Also, are premonitions a real thing? Have I had them, but written them off as mere worries or anxiety?

I can’t wait for you to read the book, too, and hopefully join me and Stephanie for a live video chat about it. She’s been promoting the book on shows like Fox & Friends and magazines such asGood Housekeeping, so naturally, WMAG is her next stop. 😉 We can ask Stephanie about her book and life since, as well as share our own thoughts and reflections on her story.

Details about WMAG Book Club event

About amniotic fluid embolism

A portion of the proceeds from 37 Seconds book sales support AFE research. The Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation is the only patient advocacy organization, serving those affected or devastated by amniotic fluid embolism. Their mission is to fund research, raise public awareness and provide support for those whose lives have been touched by this often-fatal maternal health complication.